


Jake Dillinger's Perfect Saturdays

by I_eat_nightmares



Series: The Perfect Saturday [1]
Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Angst, Because the guy who played Jake was a girl in the background of smartphone hour, Because this isnt crack, But its about Jake being a drag queen, But the same amount of dick!Rich as cannon, Even if it kills me, Fluff, I swear like a sailor so rated T, I'm going to finish this, I'm so sorry for this disaster, Jake Dillinger is the main character, M/M, Mainly jakes pov, Now hear me out, Rich is kinda a dick, Some pre squip Rich, The Jake Rich and Jenna friendship I didnt know I needed, this is my first contribution to the fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-21 16:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11361312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_eat_nightmares/pseuds/I_eat_nightmares
Summary: Jake Dillinger is a jack of all trades, and I mean all. He just isn't vocal about all his talents.





	1. The Problem begins

**Author's Note:**

> I went on a long trip recently and had some thoughts about Jake. I needed to be occupied and avoid my family, so, naturally, I decided to think about Jake being a drag queen and Rich and Jenna helping him. Constructive criticism is welcome and my tumblr is writing-is-haaaard if you want to say hello or tell me anonymously that this is a really weird idea and question what was going threw my head while I did this! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Jake genuinely wanted to murder Rich. 

 

"Hey, Jakey D! What's the deal with Madeline?"

 

That bastard knew what "the deal with Madeline" was. He fucking knew there was no Madeline and that Jake didn't want to talk about this.

 

Jake walked past the kid Rich had just shoved, maintaining his confidence. "Well, I probably shouldn't say, but it's a good thing I rock at pool." 

 

All the guys laughed and one, Jackson, patted Jake on the back. 

 

"So, Jake, how was she," asked Adam, who was standing directly across from Jake, leaning against the lockers.

 

"Sorry, but I'm not telling. I don't kiss and tell." 

 

All the boys laughed once more. It was a predictable cycle.

 

"Hey, Rich, can I borrow your algebra homework," Jake asked.

 

Rich tilted his head. "We don't have algebra toget- oh! Sure, man, it's in my locker!"

 

Rich turned left and passed his locker. He kept walking until he was outside the school. Jake grabbed his wrist and dragged him to a bench far away from everyone that they wouldn't be overheard but they could still get into the school in under two minutes. 

 

"Rich, what the hell? I thought we were done talking about 'Madeline'!"

 

Rich smiled bashfully and shrugged. 

 

"Jenna said Chloe grilled her and tried to figure out more about Madeline and you. She wa-"

 

"Shut up for a minute."

 

Jake pulled his phone out of the back pocket of his jeans, found Jenna's number (number two on his speed dial, just behind Rich) and called her.

 

"I'm so sorry, Jake, I panicked and-"

 

Jenna was speaking fast and sounded upset, so Jake sighed and told her to meet him and Rich outside of school, quickly. Class started in ten minutes. 

 

Jenna huffed, out of breath, when she arrived a minute later. Another minute passed as she sat on the bench and breathed. 

 

"Sorry, I ran from the other side of the school to get out here."

 

"It's alright, Jenna. Now, what exactly happened," Jake asked. His face was a blank mask, perfectly neutral. He was good at making Jenna feel horrible just by being neutral. She was used to seeing him smiling and fooling around. 

 

\--- 

Freshman year, Jake Dillinger's house 

 

Rich was laughing his ass off. 

 

Jake blushed a dark red under his make up. He was grateful for how much make up it took for drag. The last thing he needed was for Rich to see him blushing. 

 

Jake turned his chair back around to look at the mirror of the armoire in his mother's walk-in closet. Rich was right, he looked stupid. He shouldn't have ever agreed to show Rich. He was probably not going to talk to Jake and tell the entire school that the "embodiment of high school coolness" Jake Dillinger was a drag queen, and a bad one at that!

 

Rich grabbed Jake's hand as he reached for the makeup wipes, his huge sweater sleeve wrapping around Jake's wrist, but still hanging down below Rich's finger tips. 

 

"No, no, no you look great! You are awesome at makeup. It just looks strange with your hair. It looks plain and out of place," Rich reassured. 

 

"Yeah, I know. I've been doing makeup forever. Mom taught me when I was really young, but my hair was never long enough to style and I only learned to braid."

 

"French braid or fish tail?" Rich's voice was not that feminine, and he was standing where he could be seen in the mirror. The voice came from the door.

 

Jake's head jerked right towards the door that was about five feet right of him. 

 

There stood Jenna Rolan in all her gossiping glory.

 

"What are you doing here," Jake yelled, "Get out of my house!"

 

"You told me to come over and work on our science project today. I remember you saying to come in and the door would be unlocked, so I did. I heard you and Rich talking and followed the sound. Now that that's all cleaned up, French or fish tail?"

 

Rich and Jake gaped at her. 

 

Two minutes later, Jenna sighed. "I won't tell anyone. I like doing hair, and you have hair that needs doing." She shifted her weight from her left foot to her right. "Now, are we gonna style these amazing wigs behind you or are we going to work on the project because I know what I'd rather do and I think I know what you want to do to."

 

It was Rich who spoke next. He asked Jenna if he could teach the two of them how to do hair.

\---

 

Every Saturday from that day on, Rich and Jenna would go to Jake's house and style his hair, makeup, and outfit. 

 

They trio never spoke at school because neither boy had a reason to talk to Jenna, and Rich was the school nobody. It made no sense for him to be Jake's friend. He decided he would settle for being Jake's friend every Saturday. It was more fun than being around Jake's other friends anyway. They were assholes. 

 

Rich and Jake kept their arrangement until the middle of June the next summer, where everything about Rich changed and not necessarily for the better. 

 

Jenna didn't have any friends, but she got to pretend she did every week. She wasn't happy or satisfied, but it was better than before she had offered to style Jake's wigs.

 

The group never really seemed to be serious when they met up, so seeing Jake like this worried Jenna to no end.

 

"Well, umm... You see..." Jenna was wringing her hands nervously.

 

"Spit it out, Rolan," Jake snapped.

 

"Chloe came up to me yesterday and asked me about how Madeline was and they didn't believe me when I told them she was in France visiting family. They didn't believe any excuse! So, I had to tell them what they wanted to hear; that you and Madeline had sex. I didn't let Chloe embellish the story when she told it to Brooke and you can always say she left today, so-"

 

The bell cut Jenna off and Jake left for class without letting Jenna finish her sentence. Jenna looked around for Rich, but he had left already. He probably walked away while Jenna was catching her breath. 

 

Rich couldn't stand to even be with Jenna in public. He didn't mind until the summer after freshman year. Then he only tolerated her once a week for Jake's sake, and even then it almost seemed to physically hurt him to stand in her presence and not mock her. 

 

Jenna let her shoulders slouch as she grabbed her backpack and trudged off to class. 


	2. Jake and Rich meet (part one)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake confronts Rich and thinks back to how they met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm back again!! Now there are some things that might be triggering in this chapter: Jake's absent parents, bullies, and I think that's of but tell me if you find something you think might be triggering to someone. 
> 
> I need some help also! This story is going to go threw the events of the musical and I have no clue who Jake's squip would be so suggestions are more than welcome! 
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comment! I may not know how to respond verbally, but I see them and I am extremely grateful!

  
A few days later, Jake was walking to history class when he heard Rich talking in the bathroom.

"Do you remember how I was in freshman year," Rich was asking.

"You didn't go here fre-" The unfamiliar voice was cut off and Jake heard a bang. Rich probably shoved the kid into the wall.

Jake leaned on the wall and put his ear on it casually, pretending to check his phone so he could hear better.

"Yes I did! YOU just didn't notice me! No one did." Rich's voice got calmer and quieter as he spoke.

Jake was slightly taken aback. Rich may not have been as popular as he is, but he was noticed. Jake noticed him. Jenna noticed him too. They may not have spoken that much Jake would've been damned before he let someone trip or shove Rich and get away with it. Hell, Jenna got her entire reputation because she would spill the tea about anyone who tried anything against Rich!

Rich may not have been the most popular guy, and maybe he didn't have a very open friendship with him, but Jake noticed him even more than he does now.

When Jake zoned back in, Rich took a breath and spoke again.

"Freshman year, I didn't have a girlfriend or a clue; I was a loser just like you. Good times would only soar by. I was gross as every female would attest. My sexting was a futile quest. My little penis was depressed, he was so lonely, poor guy. I was hopeless, hopeless, I was helpless, helpless, I was stagnant and idle. I was so suicidal."

Jake couldn't believe what he was hearing. Rich was really admitting to existing before sophomore year. Rich even acted like he didn't go to Middleborough around Jake once, and here he was telling this random ass guy about things he wouldn't even talk to Jake about.

Who the fuck was so special that Rich would talk to them and not him?!

Jake had to admit that, yeah, Rich had a shitty sex life and that the Saturdays did always soar by, but he could've talked to Jake about it! Jake wanted to talk about shit like that with Rich so damn much freshman year, but Rich was to absorbed in his "no one likes me" pity party to realize that Jenna wanted to be his friend badly or that Jake had a crush on him, for gods sake, and Rich only got worse! Jake still wanted to speak with and Jenna still wanted to be friends, but what was the point? Rich was so self absorbed he probably wouldn't even notice.

"It's a grey oblong pill; quantum nano technology cpu. The quantum computer in the pill will travel in your blood until it implants in your brain and tells you what to do." Rich's voice broke threw Jake's thoughts once again.

There was no way in hell that was real, but there was a large chance that Rich was on a different type of drug and was fooled by some other dealer.

Jake waited as Rich talked about the "squip" some more and sent Jeremy on his way. Once Jeremy was gone, Jake walked into the bathroom and set his bag in front of the door. Jake crossed his arms and stood in Rich's way.

Rich almost bumped into him and looked up to scream at Jake (based on the angry look on his face) before realizing who it was. Rich's face lit up into a smile that takes up his entire face.

"Hey, Jake!" Rich held up his Han for a high five, but Jake didn't move.

"What are you trying to sell that guy," Jake demanded.

Rich tilted his head to the side and cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The guy who just walked out. I heard you talking, so what are you actually doing, and so help me god, if you actually are a drug dealer..." It would make sense. Some more popular people do drugs and if Rich could get his hands on some, he could get people to help him be popular in exchange for drugs.

Rich knows better than to do any kind of illegal shit near the school. Jake would not be paying bail for that dumbass if he gets arrested. (That's a blatant lie and Jake knows it, but he would not just let Rich off the hook.)

"Hey, calm down, Jakey. I was just scamming him. The 'squip'," Rich did air quotes. "is just a tic tac. I'm trying to make some extra cash."

That wasn't as bad as dealing drugs at school, but trying to get six hundred dollars from that poor guy is a bit excessive.

Jake can't help but wonder what made Rich do this. It's a thought Jake has a lot lately. A year or so ago, Rich would've been the poor sap who lost hundreds of dollars to some ass. Rich was a completely different person back then.

Jake first met Rich on his birthday. It was his fourteenth birthday and his parents had been gone exactly a year. Jake had waited in the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar, until 8 o'clock at night when he decided that his parents really weren't coming back.

Jake had been working nonstop for a year trying to be the best at everything. He needed to prove that he could do anything they required and he wouldn't hold them back or be a burden.

Jake thought it could be worse. He still thought it did. He gets sent money on his birthday and Christmas. He still has a house. He doesn't even have to share with anyone! There were no rules! Jake could eat everything in the kitchen and binge every movie on Netflix and no one could stop him. He wasn't going to do that of course; he had a date tomorrow and Jake didn't want to sleep to long or take any chances of messing it up.

Jake could go to Pink Berry, though. It was open all till ten.

The ride was nice. Jake didn't have to talk to any family members like he had to do before on his birthday. Jake never would've been allowed to get frozen yogurt at 8:30 pm all alone when his parents were still around.

Jake was happy. Jake is happy. He's sure of it.

At about 8:35, Jake was eating his birthday frozen yogurt.

At 8:36, a scrawny kid was shoved into Jake's table. A group of bullies from the high school had seen the kid come in and followed.

"Hey! Hey! Get out of my shop," the old man who ran the shop yelled.

As the old man chased them out, Jake stood up and helped the kid up. "Those guys are assholes huh?"

"Yeah. They are." The boy pushed his shaggy hair out of his face and pulled up the sleeve of his magenta sweater. "I'm Richard Goranski." Richard extended his hand for Jake to shake.

"Jake Dillinger. So, Rich, what brings you to Pink Berry at this time of the night?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I made my self kinda sad.


	3. How Jake and Rich Met Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake remembers how he met Rich and shares a moment with Jenna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright this is a dark chapter despite the description.  
> Tw: Jake's terrible parents  
> Body image issues  
> Bullying.  
> Jake has a breakdown

"So, Rich, what brings you to Pink Berry at this time of night?"

"Well... Umm.. You see... Uh- well, my father is having a bad day and I try not to be around when he has those." Rich was fidgeting with his sleeves. He kept pulling them up above his elbows and down over his fingers. Rich twisted the cloth. He pulled on a stray thread.

Jake noticed. His father had always made sure he would notice every little detail of someone. Jake reached out and grabbed Rich's hands and held them.

"Okay, I'll buy your frozen yogurt if you agree to stop messing with your sleeves." Jake didn't want to be the reason Rich ruined his sweater.

Rich went red. "No it's okay you don't have to! I'm sorry my fidgeting was bothering you! I'm just kind of nervous because I don't talk to many people and I'm not very good at it when I do and," Jake had let go of one of Rich's hands and led him to the counter. "What are you doing?"

"What kind do you want?" Jake gestured to the menu behind the cashier.

"You don't have to-"

"But I am."

"Oh. Okay. Just any kind I guess." Rich looked like a deer in the headlights.

Jake smiled at Rich and bought Rich Jake's favorite kind, seeing as it was the best in the entire store.

Once Rich got his frozen yogurt, they sat down and ate in silence for a minute before Jake tried to get Rich's attention.

"Hey, Rich," Jake said. No response. Rich just kept looking at his frozen yogurt. "Hey, Rich. Dude? Rich? Rich?" Jake waved his hand in front of Rich's face.

Jake remembered very distinctly what happened next. Rich whipped his head up with a look surprise. His eyes were wide and his lips parted.

"Huh?" It seemed like he wasn't expecting Jake to talk to him after he bought him the dessert.

"I was trying to get your attention."

Rich became as red as a tomato. "Sorry. Nobody calls me Rich so, I didn't even realize you were talking to me. Just not used to it." Rich pulled his shoulders up till they almost touching his ears. Jake saw Rich do that hundreds of times before the next summer. Rich was always trying to curl up and hide.

"I won't call you that if you don't want me to," Jake said.

"No no no! It's fine! I kinda like it actually. It sounds cool!"

Jake couldn't remember what the hell they talked about after that. He just remembered loving it. He liked Rich's smile, his voice, how red his face got when Jake teased him about his 'Rich hard abs' that had been shown when Rich fell.

Jake liked Rich.

Then Rich started smiling differently. He talked about different things that didn't draw attention to his voice and refused to say things that would put emphasis on his lisp unless absolutely necessary. Jake couldn't make him blush as much anymore. Rich had changed. Jake was still his friend, but he had no clue how he felt about Rich.

"Hey! Jake man what the hell!" Rich was shouting and waving his hand in front of Jake's face.

"Hmm?"

"Jakey, what are you doing? Are you going to move or not?"

"Maybe I'll move one day. I was just thinking about how we met and how you've changed. You still have the same Rich hard abs, though. Thank god." Jake reached out and gently poked Rich's stomach with a fond smile.

The smile fell as Rich got angry.

"Damn right I've changed. Those "Rich hard abs" are actually fucking abs now! Not some stupid fat you can make fun of!" Rich pushed Jake in the chest and made him stumble back a step.

"Sorry, man. I didn't know that bothered you. You were fine with it bef-"

"Exactly! Before! Before I realized what a fucking loser! Before I did something about it! Yeah, I've changed and now I'm not a freak. You should take notes." Rich shoved Jake to the side.

Rich shoved Jake.

Rich.

Richard Goranski.

He pushed Jake.

Rich pushed Jake into a wall and it hurt. Not in a physical way. Jake had played many sports and gotten hurt enough to build a fairly high pain tolerance, but Rich had shoved him. Not in a playful way. In a "I'm better than you so fuck off" kind of way.

Richard Goranski. His Rich. Jake's best friend had basically called him a freak and shoved him.

What.

The.

Fuck.

Rich had never been mean or even unkind to Jake before. Rich would be rude or a bully to anyone he deemed worthy of such treatment and had just shoved him. Rich thought Jake wasn't deserving of respect.

Rich was going to leave him too.

Holy fucking shit.

Jake needed to move. Jake needed to get to class. He was already late. He had to leave but how could he? Rich didn't like him.

Jake couldn't breathe. God, no wonder his parents left him behind. He was so goddamn pathetic that he couldn't even do basic human functions all because one guy didn't like him.

That one guy was Rich, though. He was probably the only fucking person in the world who cared about him.

Jake slid into the floor and leaned on the wall. He was fucked. He was so fucked.

He sat there. Jake sat alone with his thoughts for god knows how long. No one came in. He heard no bells. He couldn't hear anything but his thoughts.

\---

Jenna Rolan was a girl on a mission. She needed to find Jake and quickly.

Normally Jenna would never bother Jake in school. She didn't fly in the same circles as him. She preferred to hang around Chloe and Brooke. Jenna had no reason to search him out and speak to him without it being suspicious and Jenna would never even risk getting Jake's secret out.

She knew that it was extremely important because Rich came to her.

"Rolan! Get over here!" Jenna had looked back to see Rich running up to catch her.

Rich was skipping class. It wasn't unusual. He had just never talked to her while he skipped.

"What?" Jenna had pretended to feel ill to get out of her extremely boring literature class and wasn't adverse to some casual conversation to distract her from getting back.

"Go find Jake. He's in-"

"Why?"

"Don't interrupt me, fatass! He's in the boys bathroom and he needs some help." Jenna could see Rich's clenched fist that accompanied his anger and the flinching that followed every word he said to her. He thought she was so disgusting that he flinched in her presence. God, he's such an ass!

"Why aren't you helping him? You two are best friends."

"JUST GO ALREADY!" Rich stomped away from Jenna after screaming. He had never yelled at her before, but this proved Jenna's thoughts.

Rich had done something to upset Jake.

Jenna, ever the organized lady, made a list of things she needed to do in order of importance.  
1\. Find and help Jake  
2\. Two kick Rich's ass.  
3\. Get a pizza and maybe frozen yogurt to celebrate kicking Rich's ass.

Jenna ran down the hall towards the restroom to find her friend.

\---

The door pushed against his leg and Jake gasped in surprise. His head jerked toward the door. Someone was there but Jake couldn't tell who. Yet another thing he couldn't do.

"Jake, Honey, breathe with me okay?" The voice said.

"Hey, Jake, I need you to breathe with me okay. In. Out. In. Out. That's it."

Jenna. Jenna Rolan had found him. Jenna had sat with him in the boys bathroom for ten minutes calming him down.

"Hi, Jenna."

"You better, Jake?" Jenna had her hands on his arms rubbing up and down to comfort him.

Jake was still hurt, but not in the panicked hopeless way he was before. He nodded. "Why are you in the boys bathroom, Jenna? Are you trying to stalk someone?" Jake laughed at his joke. He desperately wanted to lighten the mood.

"Ugh! No! I just needed another stop between here and class!" They laughed. "Alright, before we change topics, you know you can always count on me if anything happens again, right?"

Jake said yes because he knew. He knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I just wanted to say that Rich's behavior will be explained later on and I do not condone anything he said and did in this chapter. It's not okay to take out your feelings on others like that. Also, the descriptions of Jake's feelings and anxiety at the end do not reflect everyone's experiences. They reflect mine personally because that's what I know and knew I could write without misrepresenting how the person felt. 
> 
> On a happier note, I still need ideas of who Jake's squip should be! 
> 
> The next chapter will be more happy and up beat (and have more Jenna!!!!!) so see you then!
> 
> Me after writing this: Confidence? What's that? I don't know her.


	4. Christiiiiiiiiiiiiine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake goes out with Christine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I lied. The next chapter has more Jenna, I just got my plan mixed up. This one has Christine though!!!! Also I apologize I didn't put a chapter up last night. I was really busy and had a bit of writers block.

Jake made a big mistake. He knew that he shouldn’t’ve lied to Christine, but he saw that she was in the play and remembered how phenomenal she was in the play last year. She was beautiful and unbelievably talented. For a few minutes, Jake was able to completely forget all his troubles.

Yes, Jake made a mistake lying, but maybe it would work out for the best. He sure hoped so.

Jake led Christine to the food court to get something to eat. She spoke as they started to get close to the restaurants.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the rest of the cast?” Christine turned towards him slightly as she spoke.

Oh no.

He figured he could just tell Christine the truth. It’s what he should’ve done in the first place, but he was scared that she would turn him down. He decided that she stayed to hang out or she didn’t. In the end, he didn’t know and she could be a serial killer so Jake supposed it didn’t matter.

“Yeahh… We’re not meeting the rest of the cast. I figured we could get to know each other better. Alone. That’s why I’m taking you to one of my favorite spots in the world. Sbarro-” Jake was cut off by a familiar voice.

“Christine!”

“Jeremy! I didn’t see you there.” His name was Jeremy. Jake didn’t know a Jeremy. Jake then remembered that this was the guy talking to Christine during pl- holy fucking shit this was the guy who was being swindled (but he didn’t want to think about that. If he thought about it too much, breathing might be difficult again). Jake felt slightly bad for him. He didn’t even remember the kid’s name until Christine said it, Rich was swindling him, and Jake hadn’t even realized that was the same guy.

Rather, Jake would feel bad for him. If Jake wasn’t being interrupted.

“Yeah, you’re kinda hard to notice,” Jake turned to face Christine and guide her away. “The best part, they let you pick whatever you want-” Jake was feeling less and less tolerant as he was interrupted again. He almost threw his hands in the air in frustration. Today was not his day.

“Wait!” Jake had to stop as Christine looked back and turned slightly to look at Jeremy. “... There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Now?” Goddamit this guy needed to fuck off!

“I...I…” All of a sudden, Jeremy grabbed his head and curled up on himself. “OW!”

Christine was calling out to him as Jeremy continued to scream. Jake called out an insult with some concern behind it. Jeremy straightened out for a moment, out of breath, claiming to be fine before he started screaming louder and seemed to be in more pain. Jake was officially scared for him.

Then Jeremy started talking to himself and Jake grabbed Christine’s arm and walked backwards slowly. He pulled Christine until they were no longer able to see the food court. He had pulled them into a clothing store, but there wasn’t any in-store advertisement to tell Jake what specific store it was.

He let go of Christine and looked at her with wide eyes. “What was that?”

Christine looked just as surprised. “I don’t know! I haven’t talked to Jeremy very much, but I have to admit that he does seem a little strange. He always seems so nervous and fidgety, but he probably can’t help it. Maybe he’s feeling sick! Really sick! He might just need to go home and rest. OH! Or maybe, he’s a spy! Maybe he’s nervous his cover is going to be blown and maybe another spy poisoned him and he had on an earpiece we couldn’t see and he needed to call another spy for help and-” Christine stopped and blushed. Jake liked seeing Christine so engaged like she was a second ago and she looked adorable now. “Annnd I probably sound completely ridiculous right now. I’m sorry.” She shrugged sheepishly.

Jake laughed. “Nah, that’s probably exactly what happened. Geez, this is exactly what I needed today. To just laugh and chill.” Jake smiled but had started thinking again. He had messed up, and now instead of trying to make it up to Rich, he was at the mall with a girl. He was a really terrible friend. Jake was a terrible person in general. He should be talking with Rich or helping Jeremy, the poor bastard. Rich was swindling him and he seemed like he was hurt in public. It seemed like he was halucinat- dear God, Rich totally sold him drugs.

Maybe Rich had seen Jeremy and Jeremy had money and bought drugs and- aaaaannnd Rich was pretending to check his phone on a bench across from the store. Jake moved to stand by a clothes rack in front of the entrance and looked over his shoulder. Christine was holding a few dresses and a jacket as she walked into the changing rooms. Jake probably had a minute or two before she came out.

Rich tried to ignore him as he sat down, but Jake wouldn’t let him. “Hey man. I’m sorry for earlier and-”

“It’s okay.” Rich didn’t look up. He continued looking at his phone.

“You sure, Bro, because-”

“I said it’s okay.” Rich always did this. He pretended that everything was fine and okay even when it wasn't, and Jake was tired of it! He wanted to talk about it so Jake was not going to drop it until they did.

“No, it’s not! Rich I have never seen you act like that with me! I’m sorry, okay? I’m so fucking sorry, but can you just stop being the cool guy for one minute and talk to me because, to be completely honest, that freaks me the fuck out seeing as you only talk like that to losers and I'm not a loser.” Jake’s breathing was quickening again and his eyes widening. Rich moved his hand slowly, finally looking up at Jake. He waited until Jake nodded his head to grab Jake’s hand and squeeze it.

“I don’t think you're a loser. I just know that I've improved and I worked to do it. You pointing it out just made it seem like I’m still a stupid freshman who was a complete nerd.” Jake nodded. Rich held his hand until his breathing was calm and steady again a moment later.

“Wait, why are you here? You told Dustin you couldn't go anywhere today during lunch.” Rich flinched a bit.

“Well, I lied to them. I just didn't want to go with him. Then I got home and dad was drunk off his ass, my brother wasn't home and my uncle was going to visit. I decided that coming to the mall was probably my best bet. Now, run off back to your date. She’s been waiting for you.” Rich waved at Christine who was waiting by the entrance to the store. She waved back.

“Oh shit! I probably should go.” Jake squeezed Rich’s hand again before he ran to Christine. “Sorry, Christine.”

“It’s okay. It looked like you needed to talk to him. Now what was that place you were telling me about before?” Christine linked arms with him as they walked to the food court and Jake started talking about Sbarro again.

Jake was happy that he talked to Rich, until late at night when he realized he forgot to ask about Jeremy, Rich would have to go home and might do it at a bad time, and he still wanted to talk about Rich’s outburst. The cycle had started again. Jake would be concerned about Rich and try to comfort him or help him and would be pushed away, only to make up with Rich and start the cycle again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is going to be a Saturday featuring Jenna and Jake! It's going to be short because I plan on putting a chapter out later that day which is the Rich special!!! All about my boy Richard Goranski!


	5. Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake and Jenna hold the first ever Saturday that doesn't involve Rich.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :0 I'm listening to What's New Pussycat to make myself write and this is what it truly means to suffer for your art.

Saturday had finally arrived.

It seemed like ten million years had passed instead of a week. Jake was ready to spend the day with his favorite people. After the shitty week he'd had, he needed it.

Jenna showed up at one in the afternoon, just on time as always. Normally Rich was there an hour early, an old habit from before Jenna had completed the trio. At first, they would spend the hour talking about Jenna and how to handle the queen of gossip having Jake's darkest secret in her hands. Then it became a time for movies or pasta or a water balloon fight (which made drag very difficult but was extremely worth it, seeing as Rich had taken his shirt off).

After watching movies for almost four hours on Jake's couch in his large living room, Jenna grabbed the remote and paused the movie. Jake looked over at her, knowing what she was going to say.

"Okay, how about we go do our thing without Rich and then go get frozen yogurt and prank call him?" Jenna stood up and stretched before holding her hand out to Jake to pull him up.

Jake was absolutely miserable. Rich had never missed a Saturday before. He'd never even been late! The latest eat he had ever been was five minutes after his normal early arrival time and even then he had called and told him. Jake must have messed up worse than he thought to warrant Rich not coming.

He let Jenna lead him up the stairs and shove him into his chair. As he started to apply foundation, Jake could feel his worry wash away. Jake had never been able to be upset when he was doing makeup or putting on his clothes.

As Jake became less and less recognizable as Jake and more similar to how Madeline really looked (when he had had to be out in public as Madeline in freshman year to prove her existence, his makeup was horribly understated and far more natural than normal, but he still had done more than most girls at school did) he stopped worrying at all. Who cares if Rich wasn't here? He was probably asleep or something. Saturdays were about Madeline, not Rich.

When he turned to show Jenna his large lashes, perfect brows, and all the rest of his (phenomenal) make up, she gave him a thumbs up and grabbed the long black wig from the mannequin head and settled it on his head.

"I'm thinking a bee hive, you?"

\-----

Later at pink berry, Jake was feeling over the moon. He and Jenna were using an app that changes your phone number to call their friends with stupid jokes like "is your refrigerator running?" and "I would like a large pepperoni pizza" while insisting to be served.

Jake wondered years later what would've happened if he'd just looked out the window of Pinkberry and seen Rich's devastated face.

 


	6. The Rich Special!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rich is done with the squip.  
> Trigger warning for alcohol mention and biphobia

Rich was hours late and wanted to scream. Jake probably thought Rich hated him or he probably hated Rich. 

_Why can't I go? I've been going for fucking years?!_

**We've been over this Richard. Jake has never been a problem before. I thought I'd solved that particular problem, but apparently not. If he continues to make you back track, it's better to take his secrets and cut him off.**

_I don't want to! I want to hang out with Jake and Jenna._

**You sound like a child, Richard. Jake is only holding you back. A freak with a hobby like his shouldn't be popular. He should be where you started. Jenna Rolan may strive for popularity, but she has yet to reach it, and until she does, you will treat her like anyone else.**

Rich considered getting drunk. He could grab some liqueur from the kitchen and down it. That would get the ugly little frog bitch out of his head for an hour at least, but Rich couldn't move his legs or ams. The squip wasn't letting him go see his friends and sure as hell wasn't going to let Rich get drunk and then go. 

He wanted to scream. He wanted to call for his brother to come and grab him. To drag him away from danger like he had done so many times before. He wanted to yell at Jeremy; warn him about what bastards squips are and what they can do. Mostly Rich wanted Jake to come and help him. He wanted Jake to pull him up as if he'd just been pushed down in the hallway instead of trapped in place by his squip. 

Rich knew that if he tried to scream, nothing would come out. 

* * *

Yet another hour later, Rich was allowed to stand up and his squip (evil Kermit) let him walk to Pinkberry. The fuckass frog could read his mind and tell he wasn't going to run to Jake or alcohol, so he relented control of Rich's body back to him. 

Just as Rich thought his day couldn't get any worse, he saw Jake and Jenna having the time of their lives, as if they didn't even notice his absence. Rich stopped and stared at them. 

**What is it now, Richard? You can't seriously be surprised they continued the night without you. Why would the two wait around for you when you weren't coming?**

Rich turned tail and ran home. He climbed in threw his window, the same way he left. It put pressure of the bruise left on his chest the previous night when he had been caught sneaking in by his uncle, but Rich didn't even notice. Tears rose to his eyes. His squip was right; he wasn't needed. 

A part of Rich didn't believe it. His squip was probably messing with his vision again. Making him see things to make Rich do what he wanted. 

**Why are you being so sensitive? He doesn't matter. Remember, Richard, if you want to be popular, you have to like girls and Jake Dillinger is _not_ a girl. He is an abnormality. A man who wears makeup and dresses for fun. **

_No. No. You're wrong._

**If you continue to refuse to listen to me, I will be forced to turn into a person you always find more persuasive. What do you say? Should I leave this "fuckass frog" for a _handsome courageous guy?_**

The squip's voice held sarcasm when he spoke the last part. He was threatening to do something he hadn't done since Rich was a junior. 

The frog disappeared from existence and a split second later, Jake Dillinger took his place. 

**Really, Rich. You can do better.**

The squip sounded just like Jake and added what sounded like concern to the reprimand. Rich knew it was fake concern. That bastard didn't care about him.

**I care about you, Rich. I want to make you better and all he does is hold you back.**

The squip reached out his hand towards Rich's face. Rich scrambled away. The squip pushed him into a corner, but it didn't matter if he did or not. The squip couldn't touch him; he just made it look like he did and shocked him. Rich did not want to see Jake while he did it, though. He didn't want to blame Jake for any of this. 

Finally, Rich gave up. He let the squip make his decisions again, but Rich knew that when ever he was given the opportunity, he would get the fucking squip out of his head.

* * *

 Rich went on autopilot at the party, not even thinking as he grabbed a red cup and drank it at once. At first, Rich didn't even realize. He didn't think about it, and the squip didn't notice he was drinking until he was speaking in Japanese and disappearing. 

Rich took his opportunity and ran. He needed to find mountain dew red and Jake as quickly as humanly possible if he wanted the Tictac gone.

 

 


	7. Next story is up! (Preview of story)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaack

Jake had never been broken up with at his own party before, but there's a first time for everything.

"I just don't think I'm ready for a relationship right now. You know?" Christine smiled at Jake apologeticly.

"I get it. I understand." Jake was little hurt, yeah, but if Christine wanted to break up then he couldn't do anything.

"Great! Friends?" Christine put out her hand for Jake to shake.

Jake took her hand and said, "Friends."

* * *

Jake didn't think his night could get any worse, but then Rich stumbled into his kitchen, drunk off his ass, spewing some bullshit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the long overdue next part of the story! : ) See you all there!


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